Oregon plans to offer free college to Beaver State foster children who manage to graduate from high school. According to an article by Jayme Fraser in The Oregonian:
The Senate voted 25-4 in support of House Bill 3471, which requires Oregon universities and colleges to waive tuition and fees for foster youths applying to their programs as well as directs the Oregon Student Assistance Commission to give them preference for Oregon Opportunity Grants. Participating students will be required to complete 30 hours of community service each year, probably mentoring other foster children considering applying for college.
Sixteen states now have tuition waivers for foster students.
Four state senators apparently voted against giving free tuition “because it did not include any requirements for receiving the free tuition, such as having a minimum grade point average,” according to the article. One would think being admitted to college would be requirement enough.
Less than 2 percent of foster children eventually earn a bachelor’s degree.
